ANLCA to sue Amaechi, CRFFN Registrar over POF collection

The Minister of Transportation, Honourable Rotimi Amaechi, and the Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Sir. Mike Jukwe may be heading for trouble over the commencement of the collection of Practitioners Operating Fees (POF) as the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is poised to sue the two officials for contempt of the court.

Port terminals will be joined in the fresh suit by ANLCA as the National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Kayode Collins Farinto told PortNews today in Lagos and wondered why the two government officials were desperate to collect the fees when the case instituted by ANLCA over the legality of the fees is still pending in the court.

According to him, the collection of the POF would hinder the Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business in the nation’s ports and also lead to increase in the cost of cargo clearance.

He stated categorically that ANLCA would not support or encourage its members to pay the POF as it amounts to illegality and total prejudice to a case still pending in the court of the land.

“The action of the Minister and CRFFN Registrar is a contempt of court; we are going to sue the two of them along with termninal operators over the issue. ANLCA will not support illegality,” he submitted.

On the ANLCA-NAGAFF Initiative (ANI), Farinto said the initiative has not been jettisoned but it had served the purpose it was set up. He added that only the top organ of the association can pronounce it dissolved.

It would be recalled that a statement emanated yesterday from the Federal Ministry of Transport Abuja empowering the CRFFN to commence the collection of POF from 1st of August.